Youko Tails III: The Werefox
by Take
Summary: shounen ai; And yet another twisted fairy tale^^;; C&C's welcomed!


*Standard disclaimers*  
  
**Yaoi**  
  
Youko Tails III: The Werefox  
  
Take (January 1999)  
  
Long ago, when witches and demons still roamed the world - which was only yesterday, actually - there was a handsome young Baron much loved by his King. Of course, everybody assumed Baron Kurama and King Hiei were close, but no one guessed *how* close.  
  
Unfortunately, Kurama was already married to an attractive woman named Botan. Unbeknownst to Baron Kurama, Lady Botan was also in love with someone else; a young knight by the name Koenma, which was fine, all things considered. However, Botan was the marrying kind, and had her eye on her husband's treasury to provide her and Koenma with the lifestyle she was accustomed to. The only obstacle: the bishounen redhead she was currently wedded to.  
  
Lady Botan noticed that for three days out of every week, Baron Kurama would mysteriously absent himself from his castle. Determined to find out why and turn it to her advantage, Botan steeled her resolve. She nagged and pestered Kurama until finally, he could stand it no longer.  
  
"You must promise not to tell another soul," Kurama told his wife soberly.  
  
"Hai anata," Botan nodded, the picture of innocence.  
  
Kurama sighed, his emerald eyes tired and sad. "I'm a werefox," he confessed. "For three days out of the week, I'm forced to wander the Makai in the form of a silver kitsune, stealing valuables as I go."  
  
"How?" Botan's eyes were wide. This was too good.  
  
"I have to hide my clothes when I change. At the end of the three days, I return to where I've hidden them. I change back into a ningen by putting them on."  
  
"Where is this hiding place?" his scheming wife asked, an idea forming.  
  
Kurama was reluctant to reveal the last tidbit of information, but finally Botan wore him down with her persistent nagging. At the edge of the forest nearest their castle was a hollow under a tree, neatly camouflaged by the natural shrubbery. Kurama tucked his garments into the niche each time he turned into a kitsune, confident that it was a safe place. Botan smiled and settled down to wait.  
  
The next time the Baron slipped out to change, his wife called her beloved and told him to follow her husband. Koenma did as she instructed; at the end of three days, Kurama returned to the tiny niche to find his clothes gone, and knew that his wife had betrayed him.  
  
Kurama was no fool, and though he burned with anger at his wife's deceit, (cuckolding he was fine with, but this!) he knew that if he left the cover of the forest, he would soon be hunted down and killed for his shining pelt. For now at least, waiting was the best answer.  
  
Lady Botan in the meantime lamented her husband's apparent desertion of her and his lands. After a suitable period of mourning, she married Koenma and lived off of Kurama's hard-stolen wealth.  
  
Kurama wandered the Makai, venturing out at night to steal from rich lords, a flash of silver kitsune living up to his werefox nature. Then one day, Kurama heard the baying of chinu.  
  
Throughout the day, Kurama managed to avoid the Makai bloodhounds, but in the end, he found himself cornered and exhausted. Turning to face his pursuers, he prepared to make a final stand. Just then, Kurama caught a glimpse of his hunter; it was his friend, King Hiei!  
  
A spark of hope flared to life; recklessly, Kurama charged past the chinu and jumped onto the startled King's lap. He looked into wide, red almond eyes pleadingly.  
  
For his part, Hiei found himself admiring the fox's gutsiness. Over the protests of hounds and courtiers alike, the King spared Kurama. He wheeled his mount around, intending to return to his castle, but found that the silver kitsune had no plans to leave him anytime soon. Instead, it followed the King home, refusing to leave his side.  
  
Hiei was amused. "This kitsune has requested my protection, and until he wants otherwise, he has it." Since his hand was resting casually on the hilt of his katana as he made his proclamation, nobody thought to argue with him.  
  
From that day on, Kurama was constantly at Hiei's side, always sure to stay out of trouble - or at least, not get caught when on one of his numerous forays.  
  
Eventually, King Hiei gave in to his courtiers' whinings and summoned his vassals to court, among them Sir Koenma, Botan's new husband. As Koenma made his bows, the silver fox sitting at the foot of Hiei's throne growled and sprang at the knight's throat. Hastily, Hiei restrained the furious animal; twice more Kurama wriggled free and tried to attack Koenma. Finally, Kurama had to be chained to the wall until the knight left, something Koenma was only too glad to do.  
  
A few months later Hiei was once again hunting in the area of forest where he had first met the fox. He and his courtiers stayed overnight at a hunting lodge; the King noted how Kurama would stare through a particular window for long periods of time, a wistful look in his vulpine eyes.  
  
The next morning found the hunting party up and moving closer to the edge of the forest, and consequentially, Kurama's lands.  
  
Around mid-morning, Lady Botan rode out to meet the hunters bearing gifts for the King; she hoped to win the King's favor for her husband. As she came into the King's presence, the silver kitsune snarled, baring a set of wicked fangs as he sought to tear out Botan's throat, causing her to squeak of fear.  
  
Instantly, every blade but Hiei's was drawn; the courtiers would have surely killed the fox had not the king intervened.  
  
Holding the quivering fox in his arms, Hiei narrowed his piercing red gaze, his quicksilver mind working. He noted that the frightened woman before him was the former wife of his close friend Kurama, whose strange disappearance he had truly mourned. Hiei thought back, recalling too how the kitsune had attacked the knight, who also happened to be Lady Botan's second husband. A suspicion began to form.  
  
"Seize her and her husband and throw them in the dungeon," he ordered the shocked courtiers. Wisely, they obeyed without question; it was always smarter to stay on the King's good side. Botan and Koenma were thrown into the dungeon and were forced to watch reruns of the Smurfs by day and listen to elevator music by night. Needless to say, they broke down and confessed pretty quickly.  
  
The Baron's clothes were found and placed in front of him. To the court's dismay, the kitsune made no move to change back into ningen form.  
  
"Oh!" the cried, "Baron Kurama has truly become a fox!'  
  
King Hiei, showing great insight (he just didn't want anyone else getting a look at Kurama's hot bod) said delicately, "It would embarrass the Baron to change forms before everyone." So saying, he gathered up Kurama's garments and led the kitsune to his bedchamber, coming out and locking the door behind him, returning to matters of the country.  
  
Late that night after all the day's business had been attended, Hiei returned to his room. There in his bed lay Baron Kurama, cuddled under the covers and deeply asleep, his long red hair spread out on the King's pillow. No man could have been happier than Hiei at that moment as he shut his bedchamber door with a decisive 'click'.  
  
Lady Botan and Sir Koenma were driven from the kingdom; Botan was forced to find work as a taxi driver. Her tips went to buy toys and pacifiers for her husband, who had discovered his 'inner child'.  
  
Baron Kurama regained his lands, title, and wealth; his coffers he easily replenished with the treasures he had accumulated while a fox. But most of the time Kurama was in Hiei's court, whether as a fox or a man. Now that Kurama was single and available again, he and Hiei were able to enjoy mutual...pursuits.  
  
The End 


End file.
